Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What’s your view on Groupe Aeroplan? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

Groupe Aeroplan Inc., $12.01, symbol AER on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 200 million; Market cap: $2.4 billion), is the largest loyalty marketing company in Canada. Aeroplan has over four million active members. The company mainly makes its money by selling loyalty-marketing services to more than 70 partners, including credit- and charge-card companies, airlines and a variety of other businesses. Together, these partners operate more than 150 brands. Aeroplan gets the majority of its revenue from its credit- and charge-card company partners. The company’s members can redeem their Aeroplan Miles for air travel to more than 850 destinations worldwide, or a variety of other products and services. In the three months ended September 30, 2009, Aeroplan’s revenue fell 3.7%, to $322.6 million from $335 million. Earnings fell 46.3%, to $18.8 million, or $0.09 a share, from $35 million, or $0.18 a share. The company’s reliance on a limited number of partners, and the possibility of labour disputes and disruptions to air travel services, add…